February 16, 2011

"We'll work to ensure that our elected officials, both Republicans and Democratic, are held accountable to the people, and not to the lobbyists in Washington. We'll call out the media, when they hide from the real story. And we'll support candidates when they uphold our progressive ideals, even if the Beltway establishment doesn't."

Progressives United is ostensibly intended to combat the 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC, a decision that opened the floodgates to increased spending by corporate and labor groups in last fall's elections.

From looking at PU's website you'd never guess that labor groups had anything to do with it.

Yet another new liberal organization? And how is it different from all the other new liberal organizations that have sprouted up over the last few years with the exact same purpose?

The problem with the liberal organizational structure, as I see it, is that they have too many scam artists trying to make a buck. If they would all work for one or two large organizations maybe they could get something done. But instead everyone has to try to run one of their own, so they can have a cushy job paid for by donations.

What's the result? We only hear about them when they start; maybe again when NPR says they're the "next big thing". But after that, nothing.

Interesting side note: Scott Walker flunked out of the college Feingold now teaches at.

The real world has many examples of people who flunked out of places and went on to do greater things. It also has examples of students who were promoted through the system unchallenged--until they reached their level of incompetence--or incontinence in the case of HD House.

So Feingold is going to create a lobbying organization to fight the lobbyist. I would say "good luck with that", but in reality, the man is a mad genius. He might even pull in more money than Gore did with his "Global Warming" efforts.

A man needs a good job to live in DC. It's really cold in Wisconsin, and he doesn't want to end his days teaching young mackerel-snappers at Marquette Law, and Milwaukee just doesn't have the power and panache of DC, and it's cold in Wisconsin.

So P.U. will put a stop to external influences on Congress -- "both Republicans and Democratic" -- such as, um, Progressives United. No cognitive dissonance there. Hey, its all "Great" from a free speech standpoint -- just typically hypocritical. Progressives aren't a special interest, after all, they're just looking after everyone.

Good for Russ. I can still picture him the night he was whooped by Johnson. Standing at the podium all by himself, looking kind of crazy and pathetic at the same time. If this helps him deal with his personal demons, the more power to him.

I'm going to play off the Citizens United case myself and start a new organization named "Citizens."

What we'll do is "work to ensure that our elected officials, both Republicans and Democratic, are held accountable to the people, and not to the lobbyists in Washington. We'll call out the media, when they hide from the real story. And we'll support candidates when they uphold each of our individual ideals, even if the Beltway establishment doesn't."

There is no organization and everyone's invited. All you have to do to be a member is take responsibility for yourself and not be a sap.

How many times are we going to hear the tired refrain "Oh! Everything would be different if we had the financial resources that conservatives have! If only we had those resources, we could GET THE MESSAGE OUT." Deep inside every American is a Progressive, waiting to be activated by exposure to the MESSAGE which is being unfairly blocked by the evil Republican mind rays.

Actually Chrissyputo the Demos usually have more shekels in the big states (as even that POS McCain realized). So CU will backfire for the GOPers in some areas (as with Boxer who had like 3-4 times the money Evita Fiorina had). But like a simple cost-benefits analysis is above Tweekhouse regs. Just follow orders from RoveCo

On March 19, 1997, investigators from the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Health and Human Services served search warrants at Columbia/HCA facilities in El Paso and on dozens of doctors with suspected ties to the company.[18]

Following the raids, the Columbia/HCA board of directors forced Scott to resign as Chairman and CEO.[19] He was paid $9.88 million in a settlement. He also left owning 10 million shares of stock worth over $350 million.[20][21][22]

In 1999, Columbia/HCA changed its name back to HCA, Inc.

In settlements reached in 2000 and 2002, Columbia/HCA plead guilty to 14 felonies and agreed to a $600+ million fine in the largest fraud settlement in US history. Columbia/HCA admitted systematically overcharging the government by claiming marketing costs as reimbursable, by striking illegal deals with home care agencies, and by filing false data about use of hospital space. They also admitted fraudulently billing Medicare and other health programs by inflating the seriousness of diagnoses and to giving doctors partnerships in company hospitals as a kickback for the doctors referring patients to HCA. They filed false cost reports, fraudulently billing Medicare for home health care workers, and paid kickbacks in the sale of home health agencies and to doctors to refer patients. In addition, they gave doctors "loans" never intending to be repaid, free rent, free office furniture, and free drugs from hospital pharmacies.[3][4][5][6][7]

In late 2002, HCA agreed to pay the U.S. government $631 million, plus interest, and pay $17.5 million to state Medicaid agencies, in addition to $250 million paid up to that point to resolve outstanding Medicare expense claims.[23] In all, civil law suits cost HCA more than $2 billion to settle, by far the largest fraud settlement in US history.[24]

The horrible progressives OWN the country and now they want to fight back. Fight back against what? A too little too late effort to save us from their total control of EVERYTHING?!

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Russ Feingold, that quintessential insider, thinks as himself as Mr. Smith goes to Washington leading the little people in a noble crusade to take back power from the inside the buttercup crowd.

It must be wonderful to go through life having your cake and eating it.

It was actually this thread where you did some cutting and pasting with one of Chris Hedges' screeds and some guy from "Truthdig" appeared later in the comments to warn you against stealing their content.